This invention relates generally to an electrical system for aircraft and, more particularly, to a system that produces an alarm upon a failure to turn off the system's master switch after the aircraft's engine has been stopped.
In the interest of reliability, aircraft engines employ magnetos to produce the electrical energy necessary to operate their internal combustion engines. However, other apparatus utilized by aircraft including instruments, radio equipment, lighting, etc., are normally operated by a battery powered electrical system. Consequently, many planes possess both a magneto de-activation switch for interrupting engine operation and a master switch for controlling the flow of power between a battery and the plane's electrical system. For this reason pilots often neglect to turn off the master switch after having terminated engine operation with the magneto switch. The current drain established through the closed master switch causes the plane's battery to quickly discharge so as to require recharging before a subsequent flight can be made.